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Jack Robinson was taking a walk past the American tents, they were away from the fighting for a week and he just couldn’t sit in his tent or talk to his fellow diggers anymore, you can only talk about nothing for so long.
As he passed by he heard a soldier talking, he smiled as he realized he was talking to his dog. He was obviously by his uniform a Yank but his accent wasn’t American.
Jack tilted his head, “Russian…no, Hungarian…no…Hmm, the only thing left to do is ask him.” Thought Jack as he walked up to the solider.
The other man was handsome with a natural tan, that stayed with him even if it was in the middle of a cold winter and a mass of untidy dark hair. He had a beautiful smile as he talked to the dog. The dog just sat there with his head tilted, just listening adoringly to the voice of his master.
“Now you have to stop doing it, the Lieutenant will just go nuts if you do it again, old boy.” The dog snuffled and licked the soldiers face, and he smiled, took him gently by his face and kissed him on the top of his head. “You silly old thing.”
Jack smiled for the first time since he came to France, “Hi.”
The Yank smiled back and said, “Well Hi, how are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you, how are you?”
“I am fine too, I would be better if not this for this beautiful mutt.”
Jack laughed, he held out his hand and said, “Jack Robinson, I’m from Richmond Australia.”
“Nice to meet you, Arthur Ornstein, I’m from New York City, USA.”
“Nice to meet you too, but Arthur, I detect an accent, I can’t quite…”
“Yes, I am originally from Romania, I immigrated when I was a young one with my family to the US, in 1910.”
“Romanian, that was it! I knew it wasn’t Russian…”
"What! Those Cossacks! What they are doing to my people should be a crime against humanity.”
“What are they doing? Who are your people?”
“I am Jewish, they are sending them all out, making then give up land they had been farming peacefully for centuries, and the Bolsheviks are taking advantage of them saying they are different from the Tsars, getting them to fight for them, but I do not believe them, they are fooling a lot of people in believing that, but they are not.” Arthur spit away from Jack and the dog, his face flushed with anger.
Jack nodded, thinking he did not know enough of that situation to talk about it, he switched topics, “and your chat with your dog?”
Arthur smiled broadly, bringing out a matching smile on Jack’s face, “I like this digger,” he thought to himself.
“This is Rex, but I call him Cupcake, it is more suited. You see, these dogs are meant to protect us, and he does a fine job against people. He gives good warning and stands his ground against Germans during an attack…but he hates ordinance, anything louder then riffle shot scares him. He hides behind me.” Arthur starts to laugh, “I have not problem with it, he such a sweet, beautiful dog, but my Lieutenant saw him dive under the bed when they were shelling us yesterday and gave me a long speech on how I must not be handling him right…well that is not true, I go by the book…well almost. Look at that face, isn’t he beautiful? I just can’t smack him. So I was having a serious talk.”
Jack really understood him, he nodded, “I agree, I couldn’t hit him, and I am scared too, so I don’t blame the pup.”
“Exactly, exactly my point…just between us I am arranging to retire him and bring him back home with me. He needs a peaceful life.”
Jack nodded, and said, “Don’t we all.” He looked at the kind American and his dog said, “I hope you both make it home alright.”
Tears welled in Arthur’s eyes, “I hope you do too. I’ve already lost so many friends here.”
Jack nodded and looked down, the dog, came over and licked his hand. Jack smiled and petted his back, and scratched him behind the ear. “I think I prefer Cupcake.”
“Me too.”
“It was nice meeting you both, I have to get back, you’re a nice bloke, Arthur Ornstein.”
“Thank you, you are too, Jack Robinson. If your ever in the US?”
“I doubt it but I would love to see you both again, if you ever come to Australia?”
“I’d love to, but I am betrothed, I doubt I will be able to afford to go out of the country for a while.”
Jack nodded, “I understand, bye Arthur, bye Cupcake.”
“See ya.”
Jack left the two outside the tents and waved as he headed to his own.
It was the last he ever saw of them and he always wondered if he had good life. He hoped so.